diff --git a/ecc.py b/ecc.py
index 7fb8b3b..db54914 100644
--- a/ecc.py
+++ b/ecc.py
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ from reedsolo import rs_encode_msg, rs_correct_msg
 import logging
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-import common
-
 DEFAULT_NSYM = 10
 BLOCK_SIZE = 255
 
@@ -17,7 +15,6 @@ def end_of_stream(size):
 def encode(data, nsym=DEFAULT_NSYM):
     chunk_size = BLOCK_SIZE - nsym - 1
 
-    enc = bytearray()
     for i in range(0, len(data), chunk_size):
         chunk = bytearray(data[i:i+chunk_size])
 
@@ -26,19 +23,20 @@ def encode(data, nsym=DEFAULT_NSYM):
             padding = b'\x00' * (chunk_size - size)
             chunk.extend(padding)
 
-        chunk = bytearray([size]) + chunk
-        enc.extend(rs_encode_msg(chunk, nsym))
+        block = bytearray([size]) + chunk
+        yield rs_encode_msg(block, nsym)
 
-    enc.extend(rs_encode_msg(end_of_stream(chunk_size), nsym))
-    return enc
+    yield rs_encode_msg(end_of_stream(chunk_size), nsym)
 
 
-def decode(data, nsym=DEFAULT_NSYM):
+def decode(blocks, nsym=DEFAULT_NSYM):
 
     last_chunk = end_of_stream(BLOCK_SIZE - nsym - 1)
-    for _, block in common.iterate(data, BLOCK_SIZE):
+    for block in blocks:
+        assert len(block) == BLOCK_SIZE
         chunk = bytearray(rs_correct_msg(block, nsym))
         if chunk == last_chunk:
+            log.info('EOF encountered')
             return  # end of stream
 
         size = chunk[0]
diff --git a/recv.py b/recv.py
index 708cd4d..6e624ee 100755
--- a/recv.py
+++ b/recv.py
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ def demodulate(symbols, filters, freqs):
             yield bits
             decoded_bits = decoded_bits + len(bits)
 
+    # TODO: make this run even after EOF
     duration = time.time() - start
     audio_time = decoded_bits / sigproc.modem_bps
     log.info('Demodulated %.3f kB @ %.3f seconds = %.1f%% realtime',
@@ -162,28 +163,24 @@ def receive(signal, freqs):
     signal.sampler.freq -= err
 
     filters = train_receiver(symbols, freqs)
-    return demodulate(symbols, filters, freqs)
+    data_bits = demodulate(symbols, filters, freqs)
+    return itertools.chain.from_iterable(data_bits)
 
 
 def decode(bits_iterator):
-    import cStringIO
     import bitarray
     import ecc
 
-    result = cStringIO.StringIO()
-    while True:
-        bits = itertools.islice(bits_iterator, 8 * ecc.BLOCK_SIZE)
-        block = bitarray.bitarray(endian='little')
-        block.extend(bits)
-        if not block:
-            break
-        result.write(block)
-
-    data = bytearray(result.getvalue())
-    data = ecc.decode(data)
-    if data is None:
-        log.warning('No blocks decoded!')
+    def blocks():
+        while True:
+            bits = itertools.islice(bits_iterator, 8 * ecc.BLOCK_SIZE)
+            block = bitarray.bitarray(endian='little')
+            block.extend(bits)
+            if not block:
+                break
+            yield bytearray(block.tobytes())
 
+    data = ecc.decode(blocks())
     return data
 
 
@@ -213,9 +210,8 @@ def main(fname):
     if peak > SATURATION_THRESHOLD:
         raise ValueError('Saturation detected: {:.3f}'.format(peak))
 
-    data_bits = receive(x / amp, frequencies)
-    bits = itertools.chain.from_iterable(data_bits)
     size = 0
+    bits = receive(x / amp, frequencies)
     for chunk in decode(bits):
         sys.stdout.write(chunk)
         size = size + len(chunk)
diff --git a/send.py b/send.py
index 204a104..1fb3c25 100755
--- a/send.py
+++ b/send.py
@@ -60,7 +60,10 @@ def main(fname):
                  training_size / wave.bytes_per_second)
 
         log.info('%d bits to be send', len(data)*8)
-        bits = list(to_bits(ecc.encode(data)))
+        buf = bytearray()
+        for block in ecc.encode(data):
+            buf.extend(block)
+        bits = list(to_bits(buf))
         ecc_ratio = 1.0 - len(data)*8.0 / len(bits)
         log.info('%d bits modulated (%.1f%% ECC)', len(bits), ecc_ratio * 100)
         modulate(fd, bits)